Barcelona official claims the club wanted to keep Claudio Bravo

Barcelona's technical secretary Robert Fernandez has insisted that nobody told Claudio Bravo he would be second-choice goalkeeper this season and that the club wanted to keep him.

Bravo left the Spanish champions last month in a reported £17 million deal to replace Joe Hart as Manchester City's number one.

It is thought that the promise of being first-choice in the Champions League, along with the chance to work under Pep Guardiola, was a big factor in the Chilean's decision to swap the Nou Camp for the Etihad.

"Bravo has helped ter Stegen get better," Fernandez told RAC1. "He had an offer and although we fought for him to stay, he wanted to leave and we had to negotiate. He is a player who had two years of his contract left.

"Nobody told Bravo he'd be second choice. We wanted to renew his contract, but he had other projects in mind."

He continued, "Barcelona signed (Jasper) Cillessen as a response to that, and because Luis Enrique wanted three keepers, a squad choice that for him comes down to personal preference."

Whilst Dutch international Cillessen will undoubtedly provide genuine competition for ter Stegen, Fernandez claims that the European giants see the Germany 'keeper as their long-term first-choice.

"Barca always have to sign good players," Fernandez said. "The goal is a special place and you have to have important goalkeepers.

"Marc is a goalkeeper at a young age and it is logical for him to continue for many years. He is a goalkeeper in an extraordinary condition and he is happy."

Earlier this summer, it looked as though the 24-year-old was the one close to making a move to Man City.

However, it's Bravo who has ended up there and he does so on the back of helping Chile successfully defend their Copa America title in the summer and keeping a clean sheet in the Spanish Supercopa against Sevilla.

Following Hart's season-long loan departure to Torino, Bravo has been handed the number one shirt for the year.

Who is better: Bravo or ter Stegen? Have YOUR say in the comments box below!

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